HEAVY BOMBING

Evening Star, Issue 24291, 4 September 1942, Page 3

HEAVY BOMBING

ENEMY ARMOURED FORCES AND CONCENTRATIONS ATTACKED (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 3. No great battle has yet occurred in Egypt, says a Cairo communique. During Tuesday night no land operations developed on any sector of the. front. Yesterday, in the southern sector, there was no major engagement, but the enemy was subjected to heavy and continuous artillery and air bombardment. The principal target was the enemy armoured forces and transport concentrations in the El Hemeimat and Ruweisat area during the day. Our mobile forces attacked and harassed the enemy in this sector, destroying many vehicles. In engagements over the battle area yesterday our fighters shot down six dive-bombers and nine fighters, while ■ our bombers made a record number of sorties with satisfactory results. On Tuesday night our medium bombers attacked targets in the battle area, and heavy bombers raided Tobruk. Similar heavy raids were made on Wednesday night with particularly satisfactory results near El Daha. R.A.F. torpedo-carrying aircraft on Tuesday night claimed a hit on an enemy merchant vessel off Cyrenaiea, while yesterday our long-range fighters successfully attacked other enemy vessels. IN NAZI EYES CAIRO NOT AN OPEN CITY THREAT OF~iOMBARDMENT NEW YORK, September 2. The Stockholm correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ says official military circles in Berlin hint' that FieldMarshal Rommel will not regard Cairo as an open city, because it “ contains .military objectives.” Therefore merciless bombardment can he expected. The Germans base their atttiude on an alleged report of M. Charles Corbin, a former French Ambassador in London, which they have discovered in the State archives at Paris, that the British Government classified Cairo as an important military base. AWARDED U GALLANT OTAGO SERGEANT (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent.) (Rec. 12.50 p.m.) CAIRO, Sept. 3. How he controlled a section of machine guns at Ruweisat Ridge on July 15 with great skill and courage is told in the citation of the immediate award of the Military Medal to Sergeant M. W. Cross, Machine Gun Battalion. His next of kin is his mother, who lives at Warepa. To obtain the best possible fire effect, from his observation post and under constant fire, he directed his guns with telling effect against the enemy. There was no line or other communications with his company headquarters, and twice daring the day he went back under heavy fire to report on the situation. Numbers of Italians surrendered, and Cross was ordered to collect their wounded. He did so, and also collected a number of our own men. On his way back from the main dressing station Cross saw a wounded New Zealander lying in a minefield. He went into the minefield and got the man hack to the medical officer. Throughout the day he made three journeys to the rear under heavy fire. He showed a complete disregard for his own safety. The handling of his machine guns was exemplary, and his cheerfulness and energy were a constant inspiration to all about him The award of the Military Modal has been made to Driver Oswald Martin, of the New Zealand Reserve Motor Transport. He conies from Nukatawhiti. The citation which tells of the exploits which won him ■ the decoration is secret OFFER DECLINED AMERICAN TROOPS FOR RUSSIA (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 3. A Press correspondent in Washington, quoting Congressional sources, says Russia has declined the United States offer to send American troops to reinforce the Soviet army in Russia. It is understood that she said she had sufficient man power, and believed that shipping would be better employed in carrying armaments. Congressman May said he thought this rejection was a demonstration of Russia’s great courage and determination to fight to a finish. The United States could match Russia’s stand with a supreme effort to send all possible .material. INDIAN DEADLOCK DISCUSSING A SETTLEMENT ' NEW DELHI, (Rec. 11.50 a.m.) Sept. 3. The Hindu Mahasabha has written to the leaders of the other parties in order to obtain their views on the question of settling the political deadlock. The Mahasabha has also -arranged with its representatives to see the Viceroy. The Government of India has decided to demolish the headquarters of the Hur organisation, led by a holy man whose fanatical followers are terrorising a large area in Sind.